A future for Kernza in Iowa

Jeff Loehr describes keys to growing, processing and marketing the perennial crop.

Jeff Loehr believes Kernza could become one of Iowa's next major alternative crops, prized for its soil health benefits, perennial growth habit and growing demand from food companies and brewers.

It's been five years since Loehr planted 45 acres of the perennial grain on his farm at the request of his daughter, who was a master's student at the University of Minnesota in food science. Kernza happened to be her master's project.

"They were having trouble getting farmers to work with Kernza,...